16 



From a standpoint of nomenclature, which is of course after all 

 a very secondary consideration, this retention of the two names ap- 

 pears very advisable. If the two genera be united Mcgathymiis must 

 fall before the older genus Aegialc, in which case the family name 

 would also be invalid and necessitate the substitution of Aegialidae in 

 its place. This new term would, however, prove preoccupied if the 

 genus Aegialia Latr. were raised to family rank, a fact which we be- 

 lieve has not actually taken place up to the present, but might readily 

 happen at any moment. In this case as far as we can see, it would be 

 necessary to fall back on Accntrocncme Scudder, forming the new 

 name Acentrocnemidac for a group of insects with which we are famil- 

 iar under an entirely different and much more fitting name. We are 

 truly thankful that a kind Providence has spared us the necessity of 

 solving such a nomenclatorial tangle as the above, and that at least, 

 whatever other fault may be found with our work, we may be spared 

 the criticism that we have been impelled by a desire to upset all the 

 well-established nomenclature of the group. 



Felder's definition, apart from the slight error into which he has 

 fallen in overlooking the terminal spurs of the mid and hind tibiae, is 

 remarkably accurate ; we shortly characterize the genus as follows : 



Head moderate, somewhat broader than ^ the width of thorax ; eyes prom- 

 inent, large, rounded ; no ocelli ; antennae set wide apart, with distinct locklet 

 or hair pencil at base, rigid, scaled ; antennal knob long, slender, drawn out 

 apically to a short, slightly bent point : palpi appressed, upturned, not attaining 

 front, second joint long, cylindrical. 3rd joint short, conical, clothing rough, 

 consisting of scales and long hair; squammation of thorax, pectus, and base of 

 legs hairy, rough ; tibiae spined, fore tibiae with small conical epiphysis, mid 

 and hind tibiae each with a single pair of terminal spurs ; tarsi strongly spined, 

 first tarsal joint long, about equal to the length of the remaining 4 joints, claw 

 segment with large circular pulvillus ; wings haired at base, no frenulum pres- 

 ent, primaries 12 veined, vein S. C. to beyond middle of costa, R1-R5 separate, 

 equidistant, Rs from apex of cell. Mi from a point with or very slightly separate 

 from Rs, M: from well below centre of discocellular, curved at base and ap- 

 proached to M3, Ms from lower angle of cell. Cui from midway between Ma 

 and Cui., Qh from before centre of cell, well removed from base of wing; 

 secondaries with subcostal spur and small intercostal cell, vein R from cell 

 before apex, Mi from apex of cell, M2 slightly curved downward at base, from 

 jsut below centre of discocellular, M» and Cui from around lower angle of 

 cell. Cui from well beyond middle of cell. 



